Aside from water, coconut water may just be my second favorite drink (water is my #1). Here’s why:
As a source of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and more, coconut water is great for:
post-exercise rehydration
has anti-inflammatory properties
protects your heart and urinary tract
is a digestive tonic
improves your skin and eyes
supports good immune function, and
can even help balance your blood glucose and insulin levels.
Coconut water is the “richest dietary source of cytokinins, plant hormones that have anti-cancer, anti-aging, and anti-thrombolytic benefits in humans.” (source: mercola.com)
Coconut water is also considered a nutritive brain tonic, helps remove toxins from the liver and can help improve digestion.
The best coconut water is, as always, the fresh, organic kind. One thing I learned awhile ago is that because many of the boxed coconut water brands on the market pasteurize the water, the nutritional benefits are essentially altogether removed. The best coconut water is therefore in the refrigerated section of markets in the form of a *real* coconut.
For a list of the best coconut water brands and what to look for, check out Vani’s post @thefoodbabe, ‘how to buy the healthiest coconut water and avoid the worst’. And, for more benefits of coconut, see The Chalkboard Magazine’s ’55 coconut water benefits’.
